I think I helped send an old man away…
Today I was working in the backyard getting ready for our big July 4th bash tomorrow when my wife said there was a confused old man in the front yard. I laughed and said ‘ok’. She then said ‘no, really, there’s an old man out front looking for a street named Mourning Dove. Do you know where that is?’ I said ‘yeah’ and went around to give directions.
Sure enough, there was a very confused old man standing there. He asked me where Mourning Dove was and I started to give directions. I realized that everything I said was just kinda going in one ear and out the other. He obviously had Alzheimer’s and was lost. I decided to walk him home since it was only like 2 blocks. I grabbed a bottle of water for him as he looked a bit dehydrated and we started to walk.
He ended up living nearly 1/2 mile away and would never have found his house without help. If I’d known his house was that far I’d have driven him home or called the sherrif’s dept. Temps topped at nearly 100 degrees today and he went out for a stroll at noon in bluejeans and a t-shirt with no hat. God knows how long he’d been wandering around the neighborhood.
The saving grace was he knew his exact address but was having problems figuring out adressing on the street. I pointed down the street to the address he gave and asked if his house was the one with the pickup truck and the flag. He said ‘Pickup truck and flag? Yeah, that must be me’. His voice wasn’t totally sure though.
We got to the house and I rang the bell. He tried waving me off but I wanted to make sure he was safe. He then pleaded ‘Please don’t tell her I was lost’. His wife answered the door and I asked if this was his house. She asked where he’d been and I said ‘He’s just a bit dehydrated. Make sure he finishes that water.’ She thanked me and I turned to walk home. As she was shutting the door I heard her say to him ‘I think it’s time we found a nursing home for you.’ That made me feel really shitty.
I’ve been around people with Alheimer’s before but this old man really hit home. He was just out for a stroll and got lost only 6 blocks from home. I talked with him a bit about his plans for the 4th and his family. All of that came to him easily but his location awareness was just not there. It was very sad. If I ever get to where I’m a burden on my family I hope I have enough self-awareness to end my and their suffering. I’m sure watching a loved one just slowly fade away has got to be one of the toughest things possible.